The Wallaroos will face reigning Rugby World Cup champions England in September as part of a new-look WXV Global Series calendar in 2026.
England Rugby confirmed the fixture on Monday evening (AEDT) with the Wallaroos and Red Roses to meet for the first time since last year’s pool stages of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
CorpAcq Stadium in Salford will host the clash, with the Wallaroos returning to the Manchester region after opening their World Cup campaign against Manusina at the same venue in August last year.
The WXV Global Series features 18 of the world’s best national teams, with the top 12 teams competing in a home-and-away, cross-regional touring model.
These fixtures will take place within an eight-week global window from the second week of September to the last week of October.
The England fixture will be the Wallaroos’ first of three Tests for the side in the northern hemisphere this year, with further fixture announcements to come in due course by respective unions.
General Manager of Women’s High Performance Jilly Collins said: “It is a fantastic opportunity to face the Red Roses, the reigning World Champions, back in England following the historic 2025 Rugby World Cup.
“There’s also a good sense of continuity in returning to CorpAcq Stadium in Salford, where we faced the Manusina during the tournament.
“The Wallaroos loved their time in Salford and Manchester last year and it’s great to be headed back.
“Testing ourselves against the best team in the world is vital for our growth and will be a valuable challenge for the group.”
The Wallaroos begin their Test season against Fijiana on Friday afternoon at GIO Stadium in Canberra (4:55pm AEDT) with the squad assembling in the nation's capital last week.
WALLAROOS 2026 TEST SCHEDULE
- March 27: Wallaroos v Fijiana at GIO Stadium, Canberra - 4:55pm AEDT (Vuvale Bowl)
- April 11: Canada v Wallaroos at Heart Health Park, Sacramento, USA - 12:00pm AEST (Pacific Four series)
- April 17: USA v Wallaroos at CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, USA - 11:00am AEST (Pacific Four series)
- April 25: Wallaroos v New Zealand at Sunshine Coast Stadium - 7:45pm AEST (Pacific Four series/O’Reilly Cup)
- August 22: New Zealand v Wallaroos at Go Media Stadium, Auckland (O’Reilly Cup)
WXV Global Series
- September 13: England v Wallaroos at CorpAcq Stadium, Salford - 12:00am AEST
- September 19: WXV Global series away Test - TBC
- September 26: WXV Global series away Test - TBC
- October 17: Wallaroos v Scotland home Test – TBC
- October 23: Wallaroos v Scotland home Test – TBC
